The National Executive Council, NEC, of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will hold its meeting on Sunday in Abuja to decide the next line of action as its four-week warning strike comes to an end on Monday.
Speaking in a chat with Sunday Vanguard, yesterday, the National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said it is the NEC that would decide what next to do.He stated this while answering question on what next the union would do as its warning strike comes to an end.
“I cannot say this is what we are going to do next. It is the NEC that is going to decide that and we are having our NEC meeting on Sunday. We are an organised union and the majority opinion carries the day. Whatever the meeting decides will be communicated to all, thank you,” he said.
However, it was gathered that the meeting will hold in Abuja, unlike the previous one that took place in Lagos.Recall that at the last meeting held at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, the union decided to embark on a month warning strike to press home its demands from the government.
Since the strike started, no tangible progress has been made in the meetings held by the union with the government team, rather things seem to be getting worse.
Only few days ago, the federal government said the University Transparency and Accountability System, UTAS, developed by ASUU as a replacement for government’s Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System, IPPIS, as the payment platform for the university system, failed integrity test.
Also, the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, few days ago, called on the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to call ASUU to order.
The issue of adequate funding of education, payment of Earned Academic Allowance among others are still pending.